The present invention relates to beverage dispensers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a holster for a beverage dispenser handle that secures the handle to the holster using magnetism when the handle is placed in the holster. In some embodiments, the present invention can include a detachable drip cup that is removable from the holster while the holster is installed to a surface and while the handle is stowed in the holster.
A number of beverage dispenser designs are well known in the art. These include carbonated beverage dispensers, non-carbonated beverage dispensers, beverage brewing systems, and liquor distribution systems. Many beverage dispenser designs have separate nozzles to pour (dispense) different beverages. Some beverage dispensers are capable of dispensing a variety of beverages out of a single nozzle. Beverage dispensing systems are commonly used in a wide variety of locales, including restaurants, snack bars, convenience stores, movie theaters, and any business where beverages are served.
Some beverage dispensing systems are in the form of a hand held beverage dispensing handle, or bar gun. The bar gun uses a single nozzle for dispensing multiple different beverages depending on the needs of the end user. Buttons are used to activate valves inside the bar gun to control the flow of a beverage from the beverage system. The buttons and valves are located on the top side of the bar gun for ease of use when dispensing a beverage. Users of bar guns often dispense a beverage when working in establishments such as the ones listed above, and also have many other tasks including, cleaning, organizing, stocking and being a cashier, among other tasks. When performing these tasks, it is often necessary to stow the bar gun when not in use.
Bar gun holsters are commercially available from various supplies including the assignee herein Automatic Bar Controls and at wunderbar.com. Some operators remark that with currently available known bar gun holsters, the bar gun can become dislodged from the holster falling into the operator's way, into other surfaces near the bar gun, or sometimes, even onto the floor. Some operators also remark that the nozzle can shift in its holster potentially causing the nozzle of the bar gun to become contaminated.
Some methods have been developed by the assignee herein to better retain the bar gun and sanitize the bar gun nozzle in the circumstance that the bar gun becomes contaminated, whether by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces of the holster or otherwise. Two examples are Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 8,448,821 and Assignee's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/112,969, each of which is incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. While these bar gun holsters address the sanitization issues, the bar guns may still become dislodged from the holster if accidentally bumped by an operator or other object.
Some bar gun holsters have drip cups for containing and draining excess beverage that drips from the nozzle. Some operators have noted maintaining the drip cup can difficult because the entire holster must be uninstalled from the surface that it is installed to, in order to clean or maintain the drip cup.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a bar gun holster that can restrain the bar gun, so that it is less susceptible to becoming dislodged from the holster, with a drip cup that can be easily maintained and cleaned.